1 00:00:00,780 --> 00:00:02,960 Now if you would like to turn to 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,060 scripture with me, I'll be looking at some 3 00:00:05,060 --> 00:00:07,880 verses in the second epistle of Timothy and 4 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:17,060 You know thinking about this moment and Thinking 5 00:00:17,060 --> 00:00:20,960 about The kind of things that we'll probably 6 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,320 look at and think about a little this 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:29,620 morning I Imagined that as we open our 8 00:00:29,620 --> 00:00:34,400 Bibles here as we are now well We're 9 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,740 going to enjoy some fellowship with a seasoned 10 00:00:38,740 --> 00:00:44,220 man of God and But having said that 11 00:00:44,220 --> 00:00:47,360 Let me just point out something that's very 12 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,060 very obvious to each one of us and 13 00:00:49,060 --> 00:00:53,840 that is That we're not sharing these moments 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,780 with this seasoned man of God over a 15 00:00:57,780 --> 00:01:02,500 morning coffee You know on a veranda of 16 00:01:02,500 --> 00:01:07,120 some overlooking some Middle Eastern countryside or something 17 00:01:07,980 --> 00:01:10,500 What was sharing fellowship with him in a 18 00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:11,460 prison cell? 19 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:15,980 But it's not a prison cell I've been 20 00:01:15,980 --> 00:01:18,280 in a number of prison cells, but not 21 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,540 because I was being arrested and locked up 22 00:01:20,540 --> 00:01:23,720 That's another story But what I do know 23 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,880 is the prison cell where this seasoned man 24 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,300 of God the Apostle Paul Is where we 25 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:33,220 shall meet with him in these minutes together 26 00:01:35,020 --> 00:01:43,960 is an unimaginably repulsive Setting and a Roman 27 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:48,520 a Roman historian wrote about This place where 28 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:53,180 Paul was very likely being held he referred 29 00:01:53,180 --> 00:01:56,340 to it as the the mammoth I'm prison 30 00:01:56,340 --> 00:02:01,200 and He said it could be called the 31 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:06,020 house of darkness He said it it was 32 00:02:06,020 --> 00:02:10,840 evidently dim and it was dank and it 33 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:15,430 was dirty and And he used other words 34 00:02:15,430 --> 00:02:22,910 in his description words like neglect stench Hideous 35 00:02:22,910 --> 00:02:31,410 even terrifying in appearance Well imagine I'm stretching 36 00:02:31,410 --> 00:02:33,570 an imagination a little further here now, but 37 00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:38,130 imagine that with somehow managing to text him 38 00:02:38,130 --> 00:02:41,130 And communicate and we've got a question my 39 00:02:41,130 --> 00:02:43,090 question to him would be my dear brother 40 00:02:44,470 --> 00:02:46,270 What keeps you going? 41 00:02:47,310 --> 00:02:54,640 there in that situation and I believe he 42 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:55,620 would answer like this. 43 00:02:55,700 --> 00:02:58,940 He would say well and my Bible is 44 00:02:58,940 --> 00:03:01,220 open in chapter 4 of 2 Timothy and 45 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,880 I'm looking down in verse 17 if you're 46 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,120 interested to be with me. 47 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:10,700 He would say well You know in my 48 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:18,660 first defense The Lord stood with me and 49 00:03:18,660 --> 00:03:22,580 he strengthened me That by me the preaching 50 00:03:22,580 --> 00:03:25,040 might be fully known and that all the 51 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,200 Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out 52 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,000 of the mouth of the lion Now he 53 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,580 comes right up to date and The Lord 54 00:03:34,580 --> 00:03:38,200 shall deliver me from every evil work and 55 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,020 will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom to 56 00:03:42,020 --> 00:03:49,060 whom be glory forever and ever Amen Well, 57 00:03:49,660 --> 00:03:54,280 thank you Paul But you know as I 58 00:03:55,020 --> 00:03:58,960 find you in this situation And then you're 59 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:01,740 responding in this way, that's just utterly tremendous 60 00:04:01,740 --> 00:04:08,620 to find such a positive Victorious expression of 61 00:04:08,620 --> 00:04:13,220 trust and faith in God notwithstanding whatever lies 62 00:04:13,220 --> 00:04:16,740 ahead for you, but Can I ask another 63 00:04:16,740 --> 00:04:24,820 question What what are your Preoccupying thoughts as 64 00:04:24,820 --> 00:04:28,540 you spend your time there in that terrible 65 00:04:28,540 --> 00:04:34,760 place He's pretty sure I believe this pretty 66 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,740 sure he knows what the outcome is going 67 00:04:36,740 --> 00:04:42,400 to be of this particular imprisonment So I'd 68 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,720 like to know what he's thinking what goes 69 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:50,680 on What's making him tick in This situation 70 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:54,960 what concerns and what preoccupies his mind in 71 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:55,840 that situation? 72 00:04:57,100 --> 00:05:01,020 Well, I believe This little epistle will help 73 00:05:01,020 --> 00:05:04,020 us I certainly will not exhaust all that 74 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:06,120 we can find here this if we have 75 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,480 longer than the minutes we have But I 76 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,280 believe what we find him saying and recording 77 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:16,700 in this little epistle to Timothy It's tremendously 78 00:05:16,700 --> 00:05:17,240 helpful. 79 00:05:17,460 --> 00:05:19,740 I don't think there'll be any surprises for 80 00:05:19,740 --> 00:05:23,900 any of us As I start reading through 81 00:05:23,900 --> 00:05:29,880 this epistle I readily discover that The Apostle 82 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:34,400 is concerned that the purity of the truth 83 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:40,320 Should be preserved You know the truth of 84 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,680 the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Was 85 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:49,240 uniquely entrusted to this man the message of 86 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:55,020 the gospel Paul will refer to it Writing 87 00:05:55,020 --> 00:05:57,140 to the Roman Church as the gospel of 88 00:05:57,140 --> 00:05:59,980 God and with various other descriptions I can 89 00:05:59,980 --> 00:06:03,900 think of in other letters But we must 90 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:12,240 realize as we approach this that He What 91 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,020 he knows or what he knew of this 92 00:06:15,020 --> 00:06:18,480 gospel He hadn't learned from his parents. 93 00:06:18,660 --> 00:06:20,840 You know to put it in a rather 94 00:06:20,840 --> 00:06:21,540 different setting. 95 00:06:21,660 --> 00:06:25,000 He wasn't raised in a Christian home He 96 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,980 had a very remarkable background of beginning certainly, 97 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:30,960 but he wasn't raised in a Christian home 98 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,520 and He never went to Sunday school. 99 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:36,940 I don't know what Sunday school is like 100 00:06:36,940 --> 00:06:38,420 today because I've been there for a long 101 00:06:38,420 --> 00:06:42,440 time But I do believe I may be 102 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,160 right to say this that in many cases 103 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,600 Sunday school today is A far cry from 104 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,800 the kind of experience I had in Sunday 105 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,900 school Even as even as I'm saying these 106 00:06:55,900 --> 00:06:58,340 very words right now I'm thinking of a 107 00:06:58,340 --> 00:07:00,980 man called Bill Buckley long gone into the 108 00:07:00,980 --> 00:07:02,540 presence of the Lord I was a young 109 00:07:02,540 --> 00:07:05,500 young boy at this point in time But 110 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:08,940 even now these dear me many many decades 111 00:07:08,940 --> 00:07:12,560 later I can still hear Bill Buckley with 112 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,700 us a group of boys around him I 113 00:07:14,700 --> 00:07:16,800 was one of them as he was teaching 114 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,400 us from Psalm 100. 115 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:21,860 It's as clear as that The men that 116 00:07:21,860 --> 00:07:25,260 that led the church and assembly that I 117 00:07:25,260 --> 00:07:27,940 belong to they believe that the Bible was 118 00:07:27,940 --> 00:07:31,540 the inspired inerrant Word of God and They 119 00:07:31,540 --> 00:07:34,160 believed that to teach the Bible was the 120 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:38,020 most important thing that could possibly be imparted 121 00:07:38,020 --> 00:07:42,100 to a group of young boys I'm not 122 00:07:42,100 --> 00:07:45,280 Necessarily sure that things like that are always 123 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,040 going on today, but I'm sure they are 124 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:48,720 in places. 125 00:07:48,900 --> 00:07:52,780 God knows but The fact of the matter 126 00:07:52,780 --> 00:07:55,580 is that the Apostle Paul he hadn't been 127 00:07:55,580 --> 00:07:58,640 to some great Gospel crusade and made a 128 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,240 response there or something we all know what 129 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,800 happened there was that dramatic event on the 130 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:11,260 Damascus Road that completely and permanently transformed him 131 00:08:11,260 --> 00:08:15,800 inwardly Transformed his focus and his understanding and 132 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:18,600 from that point God began to speak to 133 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:19,940 him Let's see what he says. 134 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:21,960 I'm just turning back for a moment in 135 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,460 the to the epistle of Galatians and in 136 00:08:25,460 --> 00:08:32,380 chapter 1 verse 11 but I certify you 137 00:08:32,380 --> 00:08:35,700 brethren that the gospel which was preached of 138 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:38,679 me was not after man For I neither 139 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,880 received it of man neither was I taught 140 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:45,980 it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ 141 00:08:46,780 --> 00:08:49,860 For you have heard of my Conversation on 142 00:08:49,860 --> 00:08:51,940 my manner of life in times past in 143 00:08:51,940 --> 00:08:54,760 the Jews religion how that beyond measure I 144 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:57,620 persecuted the Church of God and wasted it 145 00:08:57,620 --> 00:09:00,960 and Profited in the Jews religion above many 146 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,160 my equals in my own nation Being more 147 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,600 exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my father's 148 00:09:08,220 --> 00:09:11,640 but when it pleased God who separated me 149 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,700 from my mother's womb and Called me by 150 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,040 his grace to reveal his son in me 151 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,940 that I might preach him among the heathen 152 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,480 Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood 153 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,800 neither went I up to Jerusalem to them 154 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,300 which were apostles before me And I went 155 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:33,700 into Arabian returned again unto Damascus And then 156 00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:36,160 he goes on you can find the rest 157 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,360 of the story in chapter 1 of Galatians 158 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:42,320 But the fact of the matter is That 159 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,420 the Apostle Paul was uniquely taught by God 160 00:09:46,420 --> 00:09:50,540 and how thankful we are today and There 161 00:09:50,540 --> 00:09:52,920 have been precious men and women of God 162 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:54,760 down through the ages who would have said 163 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,760 the very same thing how grateful we all 164 00:09:58,660 --> 00:10:02,100 have been and continue to be for the 165 00:10:03,060 --> 00:10:06,340 inspired and anointed words that he was able 166 00:10:06,340 --> 00:10:10,740 to Get down onto paper of some sort 167 00:10:10,740 --> 00:10:13,740 and here we have it today, and we 168 00:10:13,740 --> 00:10:18,180 know that that the great themes of doctrine 169 00:10:18,180 --> 00:10:22,020 that God revealed to him and We could 170 00:10:22,020 --> 00:10:24,080 pause for a long time thinking about them 171 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,600 as he He learned about the grace of 172 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,380 God That is extended to men and women 173 00:10:30,380 --> 00:10:33,880 through the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus 174 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:38,780 Christ He teaches in his letters about justification 175 00:10:38,780 --> 00:10:45,780 that tremendously important foundational truth The Lord revealed 176 00:10:45,780 --> 00:10:48,600 to him the true meaning and significance of 177 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,960 the cross itself All of these things so 178 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:59,020 crucial to our understanding and form the very 179 00:10:59,020 --> 00:11:03,570 foundations of the of the Christian gospel But 180 00:11:03,570 --> 00:11:08,750 you know Paul's grasp of the gospel included 181 00:11:09,470 --> 00:11:13,550 Concluded and highlighted features beyond what I've just 182 00:11:13,550 --> 00:11:15,250 been referring to they were all built on 183 00:11:15,250 --> 00:11:19,390 what I've just talked about and mentioned You 184 00:11:19,390 --> 00:11:21,650 know if I can pivot off just for 185 00:11:21,650 --> 00:11:26,490 a moment to illustrate something When I first 186 00:11:26,490 --> 00:11:32,250 left school We left school at age 15 187 00:11:32,250 --> 00:11:34,230 in those days and my birthday is in 188 00:11:34,230 --> 00:11:37,290 August and so before the summer holidays I 189 00:11:37,290 --> 00:11:40,290 was 14 when I left school That's why 190 00:11:40,290 --> 00:11:44,050 I'm not so bright today, I guess But 191 00:11:44,050 --> 00:11:47,630 you know I I got a job in 192 00:11:47,630 --> 00:11:49,590 a in a car dealership It was an 193 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:51,190 upmarket car dealership. 194 00:11:51,290 --> 00:11:52,890 This is how it all started for me 195 00:11:52,890 --> 00:11:56,970 and Every Friday all of us who worked 196 00:11:56,970 --> 00:11:58,270 in the in the office. 197 00:11:58,450 --> 00:12:01,910 We made our way to the the pay 198 00:12:01,910 --> 00:12:05,710 office the accounts office and we go to 199 00:12:05,710 --> 00:12:09,910 a little window there and The man behind 200 00:12:09,910 --> 00:12:10,750 the desk mr.. 201 00:12:10,750 --> 00:12:13,950 Davis is a measure of interest he would 202 00:12:13,950 --> 00:12:17,150 look through a little sort of Box he 203 00:12:17,150 --> 00:12:19,750 had there, and he would pick out my 204 00:12:19,750 --> 00:12:22,050 pay packet as we would call this in 205 00:12:22,050 --> 00:12:27,830 those days and But I'm imagining in for 206 00:12:27,830 --> 00:12:30,510 the purpose of my illustration that on this 207 00:12:30,510 --> 00:12:32,710 particular occasion perhaps it was the first day 208 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:34,430 I went there to pick up my pay 209 00:12:34,430 --> 00:12:38,050 and Instead of going to that little box 210 00:12:38,050 --> 00:12:41,290 with all the envelopes in it he opened 211 00:12:41,290 --> 00:12:48,010 a journal and He's showing this open page 212 00:12:48,010 --> 00:12:49,630 to me, and he's pointing to my name 213 00:12:49,630 --> 00:12:52,150 And he's pointing to the amount that was 214 00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:54,970 my wages for the week And he was 215 00:12:54,970 --> 00:13:00,450 done And I'm bewildered because I needed more 216 00:13:00,450 --> 00:13:04,330 than to just see Something documented that had 217 00:13:04,330 --> 00:13:05,990 been arranged on my behalf. 218 00:13:06,130 --> 00:13:09,250 I was there for the money I needed 219 00:13:09,250 --> 00:13:11,790 I needed some money to take home. 220 00:13:11,890 --> 00:13:13,550 I needed to give some to my mother 221 00:13:13,550 --> 00:13:17,030 and And I needed some to pay off 222 00:13:17,030 --> 00:13:22,190 my my bicycle payment Which I had at 223 00:13:22,190 --> 00:13:26,370 that time my doors domino bicycle But there 224 00:13:26,370 --> 00:13:28,730 you are I needed more than just something 225 00:13:28,730 --> 00:13:31,790 Documented and if we think in terms of 226 00:13:31,790 --> 00:13:37,490 the the great truths of the justification That's 227 00:13:37,490 --> 00:13:40,950 unfolded in Scripture, which is absolutely imperative to 228 00:13:40,950 --> 00:13:44,790 my salvation and to yours also But but 229 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:47,990 thank God that Paul understood something that was 230 00:13:47,990 --> 00:13:50,850 so so necessary and is so necessary today 231 00:13:50,850 --> 00:13:52,210 and sadly I think there are a lot 232 00:13:52,210 --> 00:13:54,550 of people who miss it, but he understood 233 00:13:54,550 --> 00:13:57,030 that there was a dimension of the Christian 234 00:13:57,030 --> 00:14:01,130 gospel which I could hear and and and 235 00:14:01,130 --> 00:14:03,670 find faith quickened in my heart to believe 236 00:14:03,670 --> 00:14:07,910 and God would do something Dynamic in my 237 00:14:07,910 --> 00:14:10,350 in my heart and in my life It 238 00:14:10,350 --> 00:14:12,630 was this that caused him to write verses 239 00:14:12,630 --> 00:14:15,470 like Romans chapter 1 and verse 16 when 240 00:14:15,470 --> 00:14:17,550 he said for I am NOT ashamed of 241 00:14:17,550 --> 00:14:20,890 the gospel of Christ for it is the 242 00:14:20,890 --> 00:14:24,470 power of God unto salvation or unto deliverance 243 00:14:24,470 --> 00:14:28,110 to Everyone that believeth to the Jew first 244 00:14:28,110 --> 00:14:32,730 and also to the Greek Amen, what a 245 00:14:32,730 --> 00:14:33,570 wonderful thing. 246 00:14:33,650 --> 00:14:38,150 It is that Paul is not merely teaching, 247 00:14:38,590 --> 00:14:42,970 you know And educating people in theology he's 248 00:14:42,970 --> 00:14:46,670 presenting a message which is dynamic because of 249 00:14:46,670 --> 00:14:50,210 the Holy Spirit and that he understood to 250 00:14:50,210 --> 00:14:54,830 be Unveiling and quickening the very Word of 251 00:14:54,830 --> 00:14:59,890 God to men and women and thereby Producing 252 00:14:59,890 --> 00:15:04,570 this life transformation Paul will teach that this 253 00:15:04,570 --> 00:15:07,450 this dynamic power of the of God through 254 00:15:07,450 --> 00:15:11,390 the gospel and Will deliver men and women 255 00:15:11,390 --> 00:15:18,810 from sins consequences He understood that this gospel 256 00:15:18,810 --> 00:15:21,530 would deliver men and women from sins power 257 00:15:21,530 --> 00:15:23,890 He breaks the power of cancelled sin. 258 00:15:23,950 --> 00:15:27,310 He sets the prisoner free He understood that 259 00:15:27,310 --> 00:15:31,350 ultimately Believing and responding to this gospel that 260 00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:33,310 was committed to him that he was preaching 261 00:15:33,790 --> 00:15:37,670 And would actually deliver men and women from 262 00:15:37,670 --> 00:15:43,090 sins presence in that ultimate day Hallelujah, he 263 00:15:43,090 --> 00:15:46,090 understood that the Holy Spirit of God would 264 00:15:46,090 --> 00:15:52,050 would infuse into these true believers life even 265 00:15:52,050 --> 00:15:58,010 the life of God and And The result 266 00:15:58,010 --> 00:16:00,890 would be that the very Christ of God 267 00:16:00,890 --> 00:16:04,530 would be revealed in and through men and 268 00:16:04,530 --> 00:16:08,310 women who were once sinners and The Apostle 269 00:16:08,310 --> 00:16:11,490 Paul carried this message through the days of 270 00:16:11,490 --> 00:16:14,170 his ministry and he carried it as though 271 00:16:14,170 --> 00:16:17,750 it was a treasure As a matter of 272 00:16:17,750 --> 00:16:20,430 fact just looking back into this epistle of 273 00:16:20,430 --> 00:16:23,090 2nd Timothy if you just let your eye 274 00:16:23,090 --> 00:16:27,830 drop down to verse 13 Paul is writing 275 00:16:27,830 --> 00:16:31,470 to Timothy let me pause before I read 276 00:16:31,470 --> 00:16:34,150 the words Don't forget where I started the 277 00:16:34,150 --> 00:16:36,710 Apostle Paul carried this concern It was a 278 00:16:36,710 --> 00:16:39,670 great concern to him that the purity of 279 00:16:39,670 --> 00:16:42,590 the truth should not become polluted or corrupted 280 00:16:42,590 --> 00:16:45,650 in any way He's counting on Timothy here 281 00:16:45,650 --> 00:16:47,810 as he writes this letter to him verse 282 00:16:47,810 --> 00:16:50,870 13 of chapter 1 hold fast the form 283 00:16:50,870 --> 00:16:55,370 of sound words, that's the gospel At which 284 00:16:55,370 --> 00:16:58,510 thou has heard of me in faith and 285 00:16:58,510 --> 00:17:01,830 love which is in Christ Jesus That good 286 00:17:01,830 --> 00:17:05,230 thing that's the gospel Which was committed unto 287 00:17:05,230 --> 00:17:08,569 thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth 288 00:17:08,569 --> 00:17:09,050 in us. 289 00:17:09,050 --> 00:17:10,430 Do you see this? 290 00:17:11,130 --> 00:17:15,069 He's referring to to the gospel as sound 291 00:17:15,069 --> 00:17:20,770 words And another translation puts that same word 292 00:17:20,770 --> 00:17:26,069 like this healing doctrines doctrine teaching that provides 293 00:17:26,069 --> 00:17:28,390 a healing for the souls of men and 294 00:17:28,390 --> 00:17:32,950 women and Transforms their very lives the lives 295 00:17:32,950 --> 00:17:35,710 that they live in verse 14 he calls 296 00:17:35,710 --> 00:17:39,010 it that good thing under the translation calls 297 00:17:39,010 --> 00:17:44,710 it the good deposit and he's Cautioning Timothy 298 00:17:44,710 --> 00:17:47,290 and encouraging him at the same time to 299 00:17:47,290 --> 00:17:50,270 hold fast to this You know, you heard 300 00:17:50,270 --> 00:17:50,850 it through me. 301 00:17:51,010 --> 00:17:52,710 You received the blessing of it in your 302 00:17:52,710 --> 00:17:56,790 life Timothy Don't let anything at all ever 303 00:17:56,790 --> 00:18:03,390 Be successful in corrupting it Amen Why is 304 00:18:03,390 --> 00:18:06,750 Paul so concerned about the purity of this 305 00:18:06,750 --> 00:18:11,070 gospel Well simply it was this He he 306 00:18:11,070 --> 00:18:17,070 knew Very very well indeed That the very 307 00:18:17,070 --> 00:18:21,130 message itself was under attack It was under 308 00:18:21,130 --> 00:18:21,670 attack. 309 00:18:21,770 --> 00:18:26,210 It is Currently under attack and the Apostle 310 00:18:26,210 --> 00:18:32,370 Paul knew That where Satan himself was unable 311 00:18:32,370 --> 00:18:36,870 to eliminate the gospel he was engaging in 312 00:18:36,870 --> 00:18:41,130 distorting the message and Nothing has changed on 313 00:18:41,130 --> 00:18:41,710 that account. 314 00:18:41,870 --> 00:18:44,610 In fact, perhaps it's more glaringly obvious today 315 00:18:44,610 --> 00:18:46,510 than it has been for a good many 316 00:18:46,510 --> 00:18:53,450 years But Paul understood that In his consciousness 317 00:18:53,450 --> 00:18:58,750 that the message was was vulnerable They never 318 00:18:58,750 --> 00:19:00,930 had a New Testament like the one I'm 319 00:19:00,930 --> 00:19:04,590 looking at as I look down here And 320 00:19:04,590 --> 00:19:07,010 they never had that was not yet put 321 00:19:07,010 --> 00:19:09,670 together as we have it today And it 322 00:19:09,670 --> 00:19:11,710 was being passed on by word of mouth 323 00:19:11,710 --> 00:19:13,930 and the very letters He was writing would 324 00:19:13,930 --> 00:19:16,530 form part of the inspired Word of God 325 00:19:16,530 --> 00:19:18,010 in the days ahead, but he had no 326 00:19:18,010 --> 00:19:21,750 idea about that, of course How could he? 327 00:19:23,410 --> 00:19:25,610 But it needed to be passed on from 328 00:19:25,610 --> 00:19:28,450 one to another and hence Paul is looking 329 00:19:28,450 --> 00:19:31,990 toward Timothy at this particular moment in this 330 00:19:31,990 --> 00:19:34,990 in this important moment in his own life 331 00:19:35,810 --> 00:19:37,970 He knew that the only way he would 332 00:19:37,970 --> 00:19:40,130 come out of that dreadful cell where he 333 00:19:40,130 --> 00:19:42,090 was would be to be led by the 334 00:19:42,090 --> 00:19:49,190 executioner So much depended on Timothy So far 335 00:19:49,190 --> 00:19:50,690 as the gospel was concerned. 336 00:19:50,870 --> 00:19:53,470 Let me just move on with a different 337 00:19:53,470 --> 00:19:57,190 view here concerning this Conversation I'm having with 338 00:19:57,190 --> 00:19:57,490 Paul. 339 00:19:58,210 --> 00:20:01,570 I think he would Demonstrate through his letter 340 00:20:01,570 --> 00:20:05,270 here that he was concerned about his beloved 341 00:20:05,270 --> 00:20:11,010 brethren his friends everywhere He had a special 342 00:20:11,010 --> 00:20:13,310 relationship with Timothy But then he had a 343 00:20:13,310 --> 00:20:16,330 same kind of relationship with Titus and he 344 00:20:16,330 --> 00:20:19,690 had similar relationships with so many You know 345 00:20:19,690 --> 00:20:22,410 in the world in which we live I 346 00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:24,530 don't think anyone will challenge me on this 347 00:20:24,530 --> 00:20:27,870 friendship Just friendship in the world is one 348 00:20:27,870 --> 00:20:31,850 of humanity's great blessings Where it is shown 349 00:20:31,850 --> 00:20:34,990 and exchanged and so on but you know 350 00:20:34,990 --> 00:20:41,850 within the family of God Within Within the 351 00:20:41,850 --> 00:20:43,730 church a long time ago. 352 00:20:43,870 --> 00:20:44,770 I wrote a little leaflet. 353 00:20:45,010 --> 00:20:47,290 I can't remember the exact title, but I 354 00:20:47,290 --> 00:20:52,770 was I was distinguishing Contrast or at least 355 00:20:52,770 --> 00:20:57,010 a difference between what is the church and 356 00:20:57,010 --> 00:21:05,020 what is the churches And That's tempting to 357 00:21:05,020 --> 00:21:07,180 talk about rather more than I want to 358 00:21:07,180 --> 00:21:10,460 right now but there is a distinction between 359 00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:12,720 just a group of people who meet in 360 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,520 a church in an assembly and the true 361 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,620 Church of God those who've entered in to 362 00:21:19,620 --> 00:21:21,520 the fullness of the blessing which is in 363 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:26,200 Christ and so on and You know the 364 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:31,780 word translated for us into The word fellowship 365 00:21:31,780 --> 00:21:34,140 is the word koinonia many of you will 366 00:21:34,140 --> 00:21:37,720 know that and There are a couple of 367 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,380 occasions where it's translate translated differently and one 368 00:21:41,380 --> 00:21:44,580 of those are the translations is Communion we 369 00:21:44,580 --> 00:21:46,680 find the word communion because that's really what 370 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:51,600 fellowship is It's it's a common union and 371 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:56,220 within the true Church of Jesus Christ Those 372 00:21:56,220 --> 00:22:01,060 members enjoy a common union which is far 373 00:22:01,060 --> 00:22:05,160 more than just Getting along or sharing some 374 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:08,260 particular interests that other people seem to have 375 00:22:08,260 --> 00:22:10,400 in the same way as we do but 376 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,280 it refers to it refers to a unique 377 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,040 bond it refers to a union as a 378 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,260 matter of fact and the reason for this 379 00:22:20,060 --> 00:22:24,060 Being shared is because we all are baptized 380 00:22:24,060 --> 00:22:27,220 into the one spirit We drink of the 381 00:22:27,220 --> 00:22:28,200 one spirit. 382 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,400 We have the same spirit the Spirit of 383 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,380 God Within us that then is the basis 384 00:22:35,380 --> 00:22:36,700 of true fellowship. 385 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:41,100 This is be it includes friendship The greater 386 00:22:41,100 --> 00:22:45,060 always includes the lesser it includes friendship that 387 00:22:45,060 --> 00:22:46,620 we know in the world, but it's bigger 388 00:22:46,620 --> 00:22:48,280 than that It's from far bigger. 389 00:22:48,740 --> 00:22:53,160 It's something so real and Not everyone who 390 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,360 names the name of Christ Experiences it but 391 00:22:56,360 --> 00:22:57,780 it is at the end of the day 392 00:22:57,780 --> 00:23:02,180 the day the normal experience for true Christian 393 00:23:02,180 --> 00:23:06,960 men and Christian women and and Paul Paul 394 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,320 knew that he talked about it in a 395 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,640 variety of different ways in his letters and 396 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:16,200 You know Paul who was once the the 397 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,120 persecutor of the church by his own confession 398 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:23,720 Has been so radically transformed that at this 399 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:24,460 point in time. 400 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,700 He cherishes the Church of Jesus He cherishes 401 00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:31,280 the Saints as I say that I'm thinking 402 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,120 of a young man in the church Fellowship 403 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:35,840 group that I was part of in England 404 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,500 many years ago, and I will never forget 405 00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:41,120 him saying to me He said Fred I 406 00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:46,300 cherish the church Well, praise God for that 407 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:50,420 the Apostle Paul most certainly Cherished the church. 408 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,500 He loved the church this was the product 409 00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:58,020 of the Christian gospel being worked into and 410 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,840 Through the lives of those who were believing 411 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:08,480 it fully and properly and Supremely of course 412 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,180 it would be only right to add this 413 00:24:10,180 --> 00:24:14,360 that so that Paul Again supremely was a 414 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:17,560 lover of Jesus That was the basis of 415 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,020 it all in his heart and the Holy 416 00:24:20,020 --> 00:24:23,540 Spirit of God had shed abroad The love 417 00:24:23,540 --> 00:24:25,380 of God in his heart as he does 418 00:24:25,380 --> 00:24:26,440 in all true believers. 419 00:24:26,740 --> 00:24:29,180 He had the same spirit he had the 420 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:33,680 same love of God in his own heart 421 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:39,060 and And Paul Supremely a lover of Jesus, 422 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,160 but he was also a great lover of 423 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:47,380 the people of God and To him the 424 00:24:47,380 --> 00:24:49,540 the people of God the people in the 425 00:24:49,540 --> 00:24:53,640 churches That he knew that he fellowshiped with 426 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,780 and taught They to him they were not 427 00:24:57,780 --> 00:25:02,780 merely the congregants You Know the congregants who 428 00:25:02,780 --> 00:25:05,640 was supplying the dollars for him to have 429 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,400 and live like a CEO in an extravagant 430 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,760 lifestyle That's how I see so much today 431 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,700 But no, these were men and women in 432 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:19,840 many cases that had been born through born 433 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,880 of God, but through his own prayer and 434 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,360 Perseverance and his love and ministry to them. 435 00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:29,620 That's why he would refer to To Timothy 436 00:25:29,620 --> 00:25:32,620 as my own dear son Timothy wasn't the 437 00:25:32,620 --> 00:25:34,240 only one he referred to like that. 438 00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:36,480 He referred to Titus like that for example, 439 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:38,720 just a page or two away, but the 440 00:25:39,860 --> 00:25:41,700 He loved he was a lover. 441 00:25:41,860 --> 00:25:43,560 This was the gospel to him the man 442 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,280 who was a persecutor of the church now 443 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:52,200 is a man of such profound Supernatural Passion 444 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,300 for the people he loved can you can 445 00:25:55,300 --> 00:25:56,640 I pause there for a moment? 446 00:25:56,780 --> 00:25:59,600 There was nothing Isolationist about him. 447 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,980 He's isolated now in this prison, but his 448 00:26:02,980 --> 00:26:06,040 heart was so open to people He wanted 449 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,720 to be with but one of one of 450 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:09,880 these other passions was one day to go 451 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,240 to Rome because he knew in his Thinking 452 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:13,960 Rome is the center of the world and 453 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,120 the Rome needs to hear this message And 454 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:18,640 he got there, but not quite the way 455 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,540 he expected But but wonderful wonderful things in 456 00:26:23,540 --> 00:26:24,600 a very real sense. 457 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,140 So many of the people that were his 458 00:26:27,140 --> 00:26:30,900 friends What was in a spiritual sense? 459 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,000 They were his children and he loved them 460 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,080 with the love of God and Because again, 461 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:38,620 you know the word of this Let me 462 00:26:38,620 --> 00:26:40,340 just at least add to this a little 463 00:26:40,340 --> 00:26:42,800 bit by saying because there was Barnabas there 464 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,920 was Russell there was Luke there was Priscilla 465 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:51,160 and Aquila there's There was Lydia there was 466 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:55,120 a paphrodite us there was there was John 467 00:26:55,120 --> 00:27:01,600 Mark You know and the elders in Ephesus 468 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,040 I'm thinking of just now but you know 469 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,140 and then of course to top that if 470 00:27:07,140 --> 00:27:09,080 you want you can turn to the 16th 471 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,520 chapter of The book of Romans where he 472 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:14,360 writes and you'll see that he lists. 473 00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:17,480 I believe it's no less than than 30 474 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,880 30 names and as you read through do 475 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:21,920 read through that list. 476 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,000 It's as though the whole list is just 477 00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:29,680 saturated in affection and Appreciation of the Apostle 478 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,540 as he writes Wonderful, how easily today someone's 479 00:27:33,540 --> 00:27:37,580 called a pastor Hello, I I reject the 480 00:27:37,580 --> 00:27:40,560 title Jesus never had a title. 481 00:27:40,660 --> 00:27:41,900 He was never pastor Jesus. 482 00:27:42,120 --> 00:27:47,560 He was Jesus and I'm just Fred But 483 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:51,260 Paul he's got all these people various friends, 484 00:27:51,500 --> 00:27:54,820 they're the people of God how about thinking 485 00:27:54,820 --> 00:27:57,120 about Another verse of Scripture. 486 00:27:57,120 --> 00:28:00,600 I'll just read to you from Thessalonians and 487 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,920 in chapter chapter 2 If you if you 488 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,840 look down, you'll see Paul Saying this verse 489 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,960 7, but we were gentle among you even 490 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,700 as a nurse Cherishes her children do you 491 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:16,300 get this? 492 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,680 So being affectionately desirous of you We were 493 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,580 willing to have imparted unto you Not the 494 00:28:25,580 --> 00:28:29,300 gospel of God only but also our own 495 00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:36,480 souls Because you were dear unto us And 496 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,060 then he goes on For you remember breath 497 00:28:39,060 --> 00:28:43,040 and s9 Our labor and travail for laboring 498 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,260 night and day because we would not be 499 00:28:45,260 --> 00:28:47,920 Chargeable to you or unto any of you 500 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,420 we preached unto you the gospel of God 501 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:56,460 And you are witnesses God also how holy 502 00:28:56,460 --> 00:29:00,980 and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among 503 00:29:00,980 --> 00:29:05,530 you and And You know how we exhorted 504 00:29:05,530 --> 00:29:08,950 and comforted and charged every one of you 505 00:29:08,950 --> 00:29:13,530 as a father does his children Glory to 506 00:29:13,530 --> 00:29:17,470 God You remember he writes to the Galatians 507 00:29:17,470 --> 00:29:20,010 and he says so much my little children 508 00:29:20,010 --> 00:29:23,210 He said of whom I again I am 509 00:29:23,210 --> 00:29:27,130 again in labor Until Christ is formed in 510 00:29:27,130 --> 00:29:28,630 you do you catch this? 511 00:29:28,630 --> 00:29:32,170 This was a man who carried this incredible 512 00:29:32,170 --> 00:29:37,070 treasure called the gospel And he preached it, 513 00:29:37,350 --> 00:29:40,310 but it wasn't just words There was power 514 00:29:40,310 --> 00:29:43,970 in it that created in him this transformation 515 00:29:45,470 --> 00:29:50,530 And he saw it repeating That as he 516 00:29:50,530 --> 00:29:56,010 preached it to others Amen, you know Just 517 00:29:56,010 --> 00:29:58,510 briefly that there's a there's a statement. 518 00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:01,450 It's a truism isn't it if you love 519 00:30:01,450 --> 00:30:07,310 deeply you're going to get hurt deeply and 520 00:30:09,110 --> 00:30:12,450 You know No, no one was more aware 521 00:30:12,450 --> 00:30:15,890 of this than the Apostle Paul he knew 522 00:30:15,890 --> 00:30:20,650 that he knew about the demonic powers of 523 00:30:22,030 --> 00:30:25,850 Darkness he knew about the malicious hatred of 524 00:30:25,850 --> 00:30:31,910 people who refused the gospel He he knew 525 00:30:31,910 --> 00:30:34,650 about himself and what he had been and 526 00:30:34,650 --> 00:30:39,450 how he behaved But there was one thing 527 00:30:39,450 --> 00:30:41,630 it seems to me that he felt very 528 00:30:41,630 --> 00:30:46,110 deeply and That was the disappointment When it 529 00:30:46,110 --> 00:30:48,270 wasn't just the people of the world who 530 00:30:48,270 --> 00:30:50,310 hated the gospel and wanted nothing to do 531 00:30:50,310 --> 00:30:52,830 with it wasn't the Devil himself and all 532 00:30:52,830 --> 00:30:54,670 of his legions working against it. 533 00:30:54,830 --> 00:30:57,370 It was the people who had heard the 534 00:30:57,370 --> 00:31:01,470 gospel and to various degrees have made their 535 00:31:01,470 --> 00:31:08,210 responses to the gospel and I Think I 536 00:31:08,210 --> 00:31:14,990 think his his loving heart only And Intensified 537 00:31:14,990 --> 00:31:21,070 his vulnerability to these painful disappointments, which he 538 00:31:21,070 --> 00:31:25,590 would feel You know if you want to 539 00:31:25,590 --> 00:31:27,970 turn back to chapter 4 again in our 540 00:31:27,970 --> 00:31:31,050 epistle And you look here. 541 00:31:31,270 --> 00:31:37,570 I'm looking I mean he's talked about Alexander 542 00:31:37,570 --> 00:31:40,950 the coppersmith in verse 14 whoever he was 543 00:31:40,950 --> 00:31:44,250 But Paul says he did me much evil. 544 00:31:44,390 --> 00:31:46,740 I don't know what that evil was and 545 00:31:47,610 --> 00:31:49,930 They makes the statement the Lord reward him 546 00:31:49,930 --> 00:31:56,290 according to his works And of whom Be 547 00:31:56,290 --> 00:32:01,250 thou aware also For he has greatly withstood 548 00:32:01,250 --> 00:32:04,190 our words But then he goes on in 549 00:32:04,190 --> 00:32:06,790 verse 16 He says at my first answer 550 00:32:06,790 --> 00:32:09,110 this was his first defense when he was 551 00:32:09,110 --> 00:32:12,550 brought before the judge a long time earlier 552 00:32:12,550 --> 00:32:15,830 He says at my first answer. 553 00:32:16,310 --> 00:32:19,670 No man stood with me, but all men 554 00:32:19,670 --> 00:32:25,290 forsook me Tragedy I just read verse 17 555 00:32:25,290 --> 00:32:27,550 to you a few minutes ago how the 556 00:32:27,550 --> 00:32:30,150 Lord stood with him and And that was 557 00:32:30,150 --> 00:32:32,970 wonderful, but what a tragedy is this he 558 00:32:32,970 --> 00:32:37,150 said You know no one stood with me 559 00:32:38,070 --> 00:32:41,730 you know and We could go back to 560 00:32:41,730 --> 00:32:44,690 chapter 1 if you want to go there, 561 00:32:44,810 --> 00:32:47,470 and I think I'm going to go to 562 00:32:50,230 --> 00:32:53,410 I'll just go right to verse 15 this 563 00:32:53,410 --> 00:32:55,130 thou knowest he's saying Timothy. 564 00:32:55,350 --> 00:32:56,950 You know this you know this very well 565 00:32:58,950 --> 00:33:03,250 That all they which are in Asia Be 566 00:33:03,250 --> 00:33:06,390 turned away from me That's why most of 567 00:33:06,390 --> 00:33:11,750 his ministry took place all they Which are 568 00:33:11,750 --> 00:33:13,390 in Asia turned away from me. 569 00:33:13,390 --> 00:33:16,250 Let me just remind you of the circumstances 570 00:33:16,250 --> 00:33:20,170 in which this great Seasoned man of God 571 00:33:20,170 --> 00:33:22,150 finds himself at this point. 572 00:33:22,230 --> 00:33:23,690 He's at the end of the trail as 573 00:33:23,690 --> 00:33:26,310 we say he knows that And he's in 574 00:33:26,310 --> 00:33:32,290 a horrible horrible horrible circumstance deplorable situation His 575 00:33:32,290 --> 00:33:33,570 heart's in faith. 576 00:33:33,690 --> 00:33:34,290 This is amazing. 577 00:33:34,430 --> 00:33:36,830 This is the grace of God where in 578 00:33:36,830 --> 00:33:41,930 this most extreme moment He's concerned about the 579 00:33:41,930 --> 00:33:44,010 gospel he's concerned about his friends. 580 00:33:44,150 --> 00:33:46,410 He's concerned for their safety He's concerned that 581 00:33:46,410 --> 00:33:49,050 they will Grasp the truths of the gospel 582 00:33:49,050 --> 00:33:50,990 that they've heard taught by him and that 583 00:33:50,990 --> 00:33:53,390 they continue to present and preach them everywhere 584 00:33:54,950 --> 00:33:57,170 But he also carried in his heart somewhere 585 00:33:57,170 --> 00:34:01,530 this pain this hurt that people You know 586 00:34:01,530 --> 00:34:06,290 that it meant so much to him Had 587 00:34:06,290 --> 00:34:08,870 left him and back in the 15th verse 588 00:34:08,870 --> 00:34:11,790 again, they've all turned away from me of 589 00:34:11,790 --> 00:34:19,710 whom He says phagellus and homogenous Now the 590 00:34:19,710 --> 00:34:23,110 point is with those two names their names 591 00:34:23,110 --> 00:34:28,330 which are The etched into infamy because they're 592 00:34:28,330 --> 00:34:32,870 the names of two deserters These these were 593 00:34:32,870 --> 00:34:38,830 evidently men You know, how can I put 594 00:34:38,830 --> 00:34:43,110 this these were people They they were also 595 00:34:43,110 --> 00:34:43,790 from Ephesus. 596 00:34:45,230 --> 00:34:48,170 I Don't know whether you've read recently in 597 00:34:48,170 --> 00:34:49,170 patch chapter 20. 598 00:34:49,270 --> 00:34:50,830 I don't have time to read there though 599 00:34:50,830 --> 00:34:52,389 I would very much love to do that 600 00:34:52,389 --> 00:34:55,010 right now as Paul is about to leave 601 00:34:55,010 --> 00:34:55,610 Ephesus. 602 00:34:55,889 --> 00:34:58,070 He's with the elders on the seashore and 603 00:34:59,010 --> 00:35:00,950 Many of them are falling on his neck. 604 00:35:01,090 --> 00:35:04,110 They Grieve deeply because they've heard him say 605 00:35:04,110 --> 00:35:07,350 that you won't see my face anymore And 606 00:35:07,350 --> 00:35:10,030 this seems to be such love and yet 607 00:35:10,030 --> 00:35:12,230 you will also remember that Paul says some 608 00:35:12,230 --> 00:35:14,930 very very Challenging things to them that even 609 00:35:14,930 --> 00:35:17,290 from their own company there would be those 610 00:35:17,290 --> 00:35:19,550 who would raise that would be raised up 611 00:35:19,550 --> 00:35:22,290 or would rise up rather and They would 612 00:35:22,290 --> 00:35:24,610 be enemies of the gospel I don't know 613 00:35:24,610 --> 00:35:26,070 what it was to felt to hear that 614 00:35:26,070 --> 00:35:28,950 said but that there's some reason I can't 615 00:35:28,950 --> 00:35:30,950 prove this But there's some reason for me 616 00:35:30,950 --> 00:35:33,470 to believe since Paul mentions these two names 617 00:35:33,470 --> 00:35:35,430 as he and he says to Timothy You 618 00:35:35,430 --> 00:35:37,750 know very well about these people But they 619 00:35:37,750 --> 00:35:40,070 could very well have been there when Timothy 620 00:35:40,070 --> 00:35:42,550 was also there on that seashore on that 621 00:35:42,550 --> 00:35:46,950 occasion And had those things that were said 622 00:35:47,970 --> 00:35:50,170 And yet what happened? 623 00:35:50,750 --> 00:35:55,230 Was heartbreaking to the Apostle they had received 624 00:35:55,230 --> 00:35:58,170 Paul as a man of God They had 625 00:35:58,170 --> 00:36:00,590 received his message as the Word of God 626 00:36:01,150 --> 00:36:03,810 To one degree or another they'd labored with 627 00:36:03,810 --> 00:36:07,190 him In some way or another in some 628 00:36:07,190 --> 00:36:10,390 degree or another co-workers But here's the 629 00:36:10,390 --> 00:36:15,550 point the cost of integrity Was too great 630 00:36:15,550 --> 00:36:20,490 for them You know You know even even 631 00:36:20,490 --> 00:36:22,530 for the man who'd led them to the 632 00:36:22,530 --> 00:36:26,890 narrow gate And showed to them the narrow 633 00:36:26,890 --> 00:36:35,580 way You know very well Paul he says 634 00:36:35,580 --> 00:36:40,760 I'm tragic You know I don't want to 635 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,680 finish on this note I Want to say 636 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:49,220 this quickly before I finish Although I believe 637 00:36:49,220 --> 00:36:53,060 Paul was deeply pained By the fact that 638 00:36:53,060 --> 00:36:55,020 so many had left him and walked away 639 00:36:56,020 --> 00:36:58,720 Yet, I find not a trace of bitterness 640 00:36:58,720 --> 00:37:01,720 in him and that's a wonder and again 641 00:37:01,720 --> 00:37:04,060 it refers me to the gospel of grace 642 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:09,400 and You know I won't finish on the 643 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:13,940 negative note Let's just look again chapter 1 644 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:28,100 here And I'm going to read And 645 00:37:28,100 --> 00:37:30,480 I've just been reading to you verse 15 646 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:33,240 which we referred to these two men by 647 00:37:33,240 --> 00:37:36,940 Gellis and homogenies Verse 16 the Lord give 648 00:37:36,940 --> 00:37:42,220 mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus For he 649 00:37:42,220 --> 00:37:45,420 off refreshed me and was not ashamed of 650 00:37:45,420 --> 00:37:48,720 my chain But when he was in Rome 651 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:51,460 he sought me out very diligently and found 652 00:37:51,460 --> 00:37:55,060 me the Lord grant unto him that he 653 00:37:55,060 --> 00:37:57,880 may find mercy of the Lord in that 654 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:01,600 day and In how many things he ministered 655 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:06,200 unto me as Ephesus Thou knowest very well 656 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:12,620 Do you hear that Oh Nessa for us 657 00:38:12,620 --> 00:38:16,240 his name means help bringer He was from 658 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:20,240 the Ephesus Church He was well known evidently. 659 00:38:20,340 --> 00:38:22,140 I want you to just think about this 660 00:38:22,140 --> 00:38:24,660 man Just before I finish off this talk 661 00:38:24,660 --> 00:38:26,580 with you this morning or in this session 662 00:38:28,060 --> 00:38:34,820 That man in Ephesus possibly an elder He 663 00:38:34,820 --> 00:38:39,400 he says goodbye to his family And to 664 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,240 the church fellowship there And he walks out 665 00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:46,840 from that town that city and he walks 666 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:54,900 into terrible terrible danger The big question for 667 00:38:54,900 --> 00:38:57,160 him because his mission was to go and 668 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:00,120 see Paul He wanted to be with Paul. 669 00:39:00,280 --> 00:39:02,720 He wanted to encourage Paul He'd ministered to 670 00:39:02,720 --> 00:39:05,220 him so faithfully for a long time there 671 00:39:05,220 --> 00:39:07,840 in Ephesus as Paul was there Things had 672 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:11,160 changed so dramatically now and he set out 673 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:17,200 to go and find Paul and But where 674 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,460 is Paul and I love it in verse 675 00:39:20,460 --> 00:39:23,200 in verse 17 that he says but when 676 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:27,200 He wasn't he wasn't ashamed of my chain. 677 00:39:27,300 --> 00:39:29,380 Okay, but when he was in Rome, he 678 00:39:29,380 --> 00:39:32,880 got to Rome He sought me out very 679 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,520 diligently and he found me see He didn't 680 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,800 know where Paul was precisely knew he was 681 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:42,560 being imprisoned somehow or other probably asking questions, 682 00:39:42,780 --> 00:39:44,640 which would make him very vulnerable in that 683 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:52,960 city at that time and He gained information 684 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:55,260 and then it was well, you know, this 685 00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:57,160 is only my own mind thing Well, which 686 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,320 cell is he and where is he and 687 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:00,460 I love these words. 688 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,780 He said he he sought me out very 689 00:40:02,780 --> 00:40:05,160 diligent This is the love of God in 690 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:08,180 a man's heart that's prepared to sacrifice everything 691 00:40:08,180 --> 00:40:11,900 as Paul had been for him so now 692 00:40:11,900 --> 00:40:16,180 he Seeks him out It's only in my 693 00:40:16,180 --> 00:40:16,780 imagination. 694 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,840 I can't do better than that But I 695 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:21,820 love these words and Paul says he found 696 00:40:21,820 --> 00:40:25,120 me He found me somehow or other whether 697 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:26,500 I don't know whether he saw him through 698 00:40:26,500 --> 00:40:28,660 a hole in the roof of the cell 699 00:40:28,660 --> 00:40:30,900 that some people might suggest or how but 700 00:40:31,350 --> 00:40:35,640 But at some point their faces met they 701 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:39,470 saw each other Paul saw this beloved and 702 00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:43,300 cherished brother that he felt he owed so 703 00:40:43,300 --> 00:40:49,000 much to and This dear man Onesiphorus he 704 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,080 saw the Apostle they saw each other I 705 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,540 think for Saul for Paul rather in the 706 00:40:54,540 --> 00:40:54,860 prison. 707 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,700 It was as though Jesus Christ himself had 708 00:40:57,700 --> 00:41:03,480 walked into the cell This leaves me with 709 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:10,460 a few questions Okay, Onesiphorus ministered to Paul 710 00:41:10,460 --> 00:41:11,920 for no less than three years. 711 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:19,190 We read He is now having been with 712 00:41:19,190 --> 00:41:21,410 Paul having found him he's no longer with 713 00:41:21,410 --> 00:41:27,050 him Where is he what I do know 714 00:41:27,050 --> 00:41:31,070 is that Paul in this very 16th verse 715 00:41:32,390 --> 00:41:42,910 On Chapter 4 and there's 16 But 716 00:41:42,910 --> 00:41:47,450 the fact of the matter is Paul is 717 00:41:47,450 --> 00:41:52,990 saying and I'm praying for his household He 718 00:41:52,990 --> 00:41:56,230 says that again in the fourth chapter He's 719 00:41:56,230 --> 00:41:59,690 praying that salute Priscilla and Aquila and the 720 00:41:59,690 --> 00:42:04,010 household of Onesiphorus Why would he say that? 721 00:42:04,430 --> 00:42:06,350 It's certainly not wrong to say that but 722 00:42:06,350 --> 00:42:09,430 why doesn't he make a reference to Onesiphorus? 723 00:42:10,150 --> 00:42:13,250 Could it be I don't know Could it 724 00:42:13,250 --> 00:42:15,870 be that Onesiphorus never made it home? 725 00:42:16,870 --> 00:42:21,530 from that trip The man Paul loved so 726 00:42:21,530 --> 00:42:26,010 passionately Perhaps somehow word got back to Paul 727 00:42:26,010 --> 00:42:30,130 prior to him writing this to Timothy that 728 00:42:30,130 --> 00:42:34,170 he never did get home Paul says remember 729 00:42:34,170 --> 00:42:38,210 his family remember his household What what a 730 00:42:38,210 --> 00:42:42,050 wonderful thing indeed and the Apostle Paul here 731 00:42:42,650 --> 00:42:45,470 you know, he's presented to us such a 732 00:42:45,470 --> 00:42:51,490 such a stark contrast between And Phil Gallus 733 00:42:51,490 --> 00:42:54,390 and Hermogenes, you know, they turned away from 734 00:42:54,390 --> 00:42:56,650 the Apostle in the time of Paul's own 735 00:42:56,650 --> 00:43:00,070 need but Onesiphorus he often refreshed Paul he 736 00:43:00,070 --> 00:43:03,870 says and and He wasn't ashamed of my 737 00:43:03,870 --> 00:43:12,950 chains Hmm Amen He was a faithful bold 738 00:43:12,950 --> 00:43:18,790 fearless Christian man was Onesiphorus Well, we must 739 00:43:18,790 --> 00:43:22,850 leave the Apostle Paul on this occasion Our 740 00:43:22,850 --> 00:43:26,070 last glimpse of him as we leave is 741 00:43:26,070 --> 00:43:30,090 not that of a bitter old man nursing 742 00:43:30,090 --> 00:43:34,850 his hurts But we're saying goodbye to a 743 00:43:34,850 --> 00:43:39,870 true lover of Jesus a Faithful Christian soldier 744 00:43:39,870 --> 00:43:42,750 who had fought the good fight and had 745 00:43:42,750 --> 00:43:48,310 finished his calling He never lost his grip 746 00:43:48,310 --> 00:43:51,030 on the treasure that had been entrusted to 747 00:43:51,030 --> 00:43:57,670 him I Imagine Excuse me for using my 748 00:43:57,670 --> 00:43:58,270 imagination. 749 00:43:58,670 --> 00:44:02,410 I Imagined his eyes were wet as he 750 00:44:02,410 --> 00:44:07,650 stepped through that final portal Yes, his heart 751 00:44:07,650 --> 00:44:13,150 would have been a burning furnace I Am 752 00:44:13,150 --> 00:44:16,010 assured in my heart and in my mind 753 00:44:16,710 --> 00:44:19,910 That the hands that embraced him as he 754 00:44:19,910 --> 00:44:25,190 went through that final portal Would tenderly wipe 755 00:44:25,190 --> 00:44:30,450 away every tear From his eyes and perhaps 756 00:44:30,450 --> 00:44:35,730 just whisper into his ear Well done Paul 757 00:44:37,030 --> 00:44:43,630 My good and faithful servant Enter thou into 758 00:44:43,630 --> 00:44:52,960 the joys of thy Lord Can I just 759 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:55,840 ask if you've found help here tell me 760 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:59,000 I'd love to hear Go to turn to 761 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,120 the scriptures with Fred Tomlinson and say something 762 00:45:02,860 --> 00:45:03,760 More than that. 763 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:07,360 I'd love to see you all Come on 764 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:12,640 to our online Sunday morning meeting You can 765 00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,300 find information about that at the website McKenzie 766 00:45:15,300 --> 00:45:20,140 fellowship calm Father we pray that you will 767 00:45:20,140 --> 00:45:23,120 use your word for your purpose and your 768 00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:27,200 glory and for the blessing of hungry hearts 769 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:31,860 that are ready to devour every precious crumb 770 00:45:31,860 --> 00:45:35,100 That a person such as I am able 771 00:45:35,100 --> 00:45:36,080 to hand to them. 772 00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:40,500 Thank you Lord for for your added blessing 773 00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:46,680 that Is so abundantly poured out For men 774 00:45:46,680 --> 00:45:50,100 and women such as we in Jesus name. 775 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:51,140 We thank you father